It may not feel like it outside but believe it or not Spring is upon us! Looking at our studio schedule for the upcoming weeks Spring will have come and gone in no time.
February was a month jam packed with all things dance. In the majority of our full year classes teachers started setting their recital choreography. These pieces are now in full swing and students are able to get a copy of their music from the office so they can practice at home. We always encourage students to spend a bit of extra time on their choreography. Not only is it a great habit to get into but there is always a noticeable difference in a child's confidence, accuracy and sense of achievement when they know they have put in the extra time to learn the material to the best of their ability. Parents and teachers play a big role in encouraging these good habits. Having a great work ethic is a quality that can be developed in the studio and extend into the other aspects of a child's life. There is no doubt that at-home practice is a must.
Also in the month of February the studio held its 3rd annual presentation of Plies to Performance. This was an in-studio performance that involved all the students enrolled in our full-year Holiday Production class. The evening went off without a hitch and was hosted by Sydney Miltimore, Keana O'Grady and Shantel Grasdal. Three different groups of dancers presented various exercises that focused heavily on patterns, transitions, and choreography that was more suited to the stage. The goal when setting the material was to design exercises that fell somewhere between what dancers do in their everyday technique class and what they did on stage in Alice in Wonderland. With the older groups, classes became more of a collaborative effort and students were encouraged to voice any ideas they had regarding choreography or patterning. It was fun to hear the different highlights dancers catch in the music and the variety of interpretations that come out when creating an exercise together. There was also a research portion of Plies to Performance where each student was asked to put together a short project that focused on some aspect of dance history. Everyone did a fantastic job and came up with some projects that were not only informative but fun to look at.
The end of February also meant crunch time for our competitive team. On March 1st and 2nd, Absolute Dance held its competitive dress rehearsal showcasing all of our solos, duets, trios and groups that will attend competition this Spring. The dress rehearsal is a great way to see how dancers perform in front of an audience, how costumes move with the choreography and to get past any major nerves that dancers may be feeling. From the point of view of the directors, it is also a day where they get to see the scope and variety of what will be representing Absolute Dance beyond the studio walls. Our dress rehearsal featured several out-of-the-box numbers that really highlighted the abilities of our dancers and the expertise of our choreographers. We are so pleased to be venturing out with a fantastic team of talented kids ages seven to eighteen. While we still have a few more weeks to clean and perfect, this years competitive team is well on its way to a successful season. We encourage dancers to stay healthy, rested and focused as we move into one of the most important times in our dance season. We will be attending three local competitions starting with the first on April 20th. Some of our more experienced dancers will also be traveling to Phoenix, Arizona in May. Good luck to all of our competitors!
As if dancers didn't already have enough on their plates, the Royal Academy of Dance will be visiting our studio once again for our Spring set of ballet examinations. On April 12th we wish all the best to our 21 candidates in Grades 2, 3, and 5. Ballet exams can be nerve racking but, for the most part, dancers are proud of themselves and there is often a noticeable improvement in their skill level when all is said and done.
The end of the month means suspended classes at Absolute Dance as we break for Easter and March Break. All regular classes will be suspended from March 25 to April 8 with the exception of our Adult classes which will run on April 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. This does not mean you cannot dance over the holidays! We are still taking registration for our March Break camps which run March 25th to 29th. These camps are for kids ages 3 - 5 and run from 9am - 12pm or 1pm - 4pm. Registration is available online!
Congratulations to Natalia Slaba, our Student of the Month for the month of March! Natalia got into dance only recently and we are so pleased to have such an enthusiastic and eager person join our classes. Way to go Natalia! Keep working hard!
We would like to wish everyone a safe and restful holiday as we move into Spring. We look forward to the last leg of our 2012/2013 season when we return. Hold onto your hats, April and May promise to be action packed as we tackle competition and recital season.
That's all for now,
Madame Jete
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